


High Noon

by MatchaMochi



Series: Bright as Noonlight [2]
Category: DC Animated Universe, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Drama(TM), Family time, M/M, and, pinches of, woop get ready for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-30 01:31:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6403237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatchaMochi/pseuds/MatchaMochi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he finally got tired trying to attack her legs she places a hand on his shoulder softly, “Dami- I mean, Mr.Wayne.” she gets a surprised look from that, “Why do you want me out?”</p><p>He doesn’t pause at all,</p><p>“Because you don’t belong here,”</p>
            </blockquote>





	High Noon

**Author's Note:**

> Welp i saw the movie and hoowee that was a doozy, i liked it but i wouldn't say it was a masterpiece, it has some little holes here and there but hey! The actors were all perf! XD  
> Hope y'alls are still hanging on Dawns narrative cuz im getting her char a little deeper...

_Dawn is eight years old when she meets Waverider. She remembers giggling and floating up to him to try and touch the little flames on his head, he grabs her sides and smiles softly down at her. She often thinks of the sad look in his eyes when he puts her back down and says to her,_

_“Oh you poor kid….”_

_Recalls the panicked look in Bruce’s eyes even when his face remained passive as he pulls her back from him, Bruce flashes a silent warning to the other Superhero before sending her back to the farm with Clark._

_Only her grandmother greets her when she arrives there, her mouth tilted in a hesitant smile that doesn’t show any teeth. As she sleeps, her superhearing picks up a rising argument at a nearby field, miles from the farm. She doesn’t cry but she does flies down to her brother’s room. He opens his window before she could knock at it and ushers her to come in, his eyes heavy with sleep._

_They shuffled around the tiny bed and Conner pats her back gently while she buries her head at his chest. He sighs, “They’ll get over it.” She bites her lip, “But-“ and he shakes his head and ruffles her short dark hair, “They will.”_

_“They always do.”_

-

-

Bruce is stubborn, when he wants to be, and this time he doesn’t take any chances at all,

“ _No,”_

Clark sighs with exasperation and wonders if the reason Batman has that constant frown on his face was because he had to deal with _this_ every day, “Bruce,” he tries again, “She can’t stay in my apartment!”

“Don’t you have that little fortress of yours Elsa?”

 _God_ now he’s being sulky _and_ a prick,

“It’s miles from civilisation!”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“She’s my _daughter-“_

“The _Farm_ then-“

They babble on, completely ignoring the silent shadow as it comes up from behind Superman, it slithers beside him and looks up to a glaring, dark face. Dawn says, loud and clear so they could both hear her,

“The bedroom on the second floor,” Bruce freezes and they both feel his heart rate going up, but she is relentless as she continues, “You gave me that room Batman,”

It’s a second before she can sense the anger snapping in him but before it could come out it is interrupted by mild curiosity, so he asks her, “Why the hell would I do that?”

She shrugs, “Back in the Farm, I stayed there till I was big enough to move out, but before I had any real job to start with you let me stay in the mansion for quite a long while,” partly true but if she must do this spouting white lies to both of her parents then so be it. She smiles thinly at Bruce, “I was a writer, crime and thriller was my specialty,” _So Gotham was the place to be,_ she sees that Bruce also hears the unspoken words said between them.

He hangs his head staring down at her. She remembers the numerous times her father had lashed at her with hurtful words and knows this will be worse since he doesn’t know. But before anything could be said, she feels Clark’s heavy hand on her shoulder and his pleading voice saying, “Bruce, _please.”_

Bruce’s gazes down at her, his stare boring holes at her head and she looks right back, defiant, he scowls at Superman before turning away, and she sighs in relief as she hears him mutter,

“Fine.”

-

-

_Dawn is eighteen as she feels her hand trembling slightly from gripping the doorknob too hard while trying not to break it. The room is musty and dark with dust, cobwebs, and shadows. And it was huge, larger than (dare she say it,) Bruce’s bedroom, several portraits and mirrors covered with thin, grey cloths lined the high walls. The dust and webs climbing over the lamps and tables makes eerie shadows as the sunlight from the windows shined on them._

_She steps inside carefully, only resisting to not just float over the red carpeted floors for fear of accidentally knocking anything if she were to fly in the room. She spends a few minutes just standing in the middle of the room, staring at the space in front of her._

_“Alfred can clean up the rest for you,”_

_Bruce is quite as ever, and he stands at the corridor. His hair is silver, and his face faded with new wrinkles that weren’t there ten years ago. Her voice is tight and close to shaky when she says,_

_“Why?” it’s a multitude of why’s all collected in one. Why this room? The room where she knows her father had once stayed, a private place, a place he never touches moreover allowing anyone else. Why are they letting you do this? Jason didn’t even bat an eye when he found out, instead, she gets a smirk and a rough pat on the back with, ‘Good for ya kid,’ greeting her, Why are they not angry? Dami only reminded her not to spend too much time inside before shooing her away, Why **her?** Where they could be someone much more worthwhile-_

_“Dawn,” and she faces him, eyes confused, his face is unsmiling as he tells her, “You are the child of Batman and Superman”, he shakes his head, “I hated the way you had to carry all that burden before you were even born, people expects things from you and I know how that feels sweetheart,”_

_“We had the little room beside the kitchen at the Farm for you so you could stay away from people and their expectations,” but people and their expectations had chased her ever since she took in the superhero gig and she remembers the strain she felt trying to catch-up to the others and the ache every time anyone nods, smiles, and says: ‘Of course she can take it, she’s their kid!’_

_He looks around the room, his eyes slowly going over the tapestries and art work, “and I wanted this room for you because the room I stay in was your grandparents. This room was my solitude and sanctuary. I want you to know that Dawn. I want you to know that you are a Kent and a Wayne but it should never matter to you as it never mattered to me or Clark.” He grins at her, and it is rare. Not since Terry that is, “If I remember correctly, my father’s old typewriter I stole is still lying around here somewhere….”_

_She laughs, tears in her eyes. She gives him a brief hug and kisses his forehead and the thought that lingers in her mind on that day was the ridiculous notion Bruce had that she would still use a typewriter in this day and age._

_-_

_-_

She had sighed and shook her head in disappointment in finding out that both of her parents hasn’t the slightest clue what the other was thinking, had thought about it, long and hard, while Clark stands at the corner giving her a puzzled look. She finally comes up with a conclusion that no, she would _not_ be the one to tell them because _she_ herself does not know the extent of their relationship together at this point. She will observe, and she will guide. That was what she had decided.

She folds her arm together now in irritation watching them snap and growl at each other, just what were they really in doubt of? By this point they were already quarrelling like age old married _couples,_ what was holding them back?

“Dawn?”

She snaps her head up to face Clark, already building up theories and possibilities in her head. He looks worried, eyebrows scrunched up and mouth twisted slightly. She looks back at Batman’s passive face and steps back, “Its fine,” she tilts her head to the side, “I can head there by myself,”

Bruce walks away and she in turn, flies down to Gotham.

As he heads to the teleporter, he spies her dark silhouette ghosting over outside the glass walls. As she flies, the sun makes her shadow thick, and he finds himself thinking that it would have been better if she’d at least had a cape. He thinks about her eyes too, before shifting over to Superman, then he stops himself and thought about Lois Lane and the way her and her husband’s smiling face shone on their wedding day. It had been so bright and unwavering.

As he arrives he thought about _his_ family, and he sighs, yet again, as he remembers his second loss.

-

-

_Dawn is dying and gasping for breath as she holds her dear fathers hand for life,_

_“It’s up to my chest- Its- Itsnot- Father-“_

_He shakes his head and shushes her, stroking her cheeks softly, “It’s almost ready Dawn. Once you arrive you won’t feel a thing, because you are not really there. Tim is holding up the codes right now, just remember to let them fall into it alright,”_

_“Does he really not care about me?”_

_The grip on her hand tightens, and he smiles at her sadly,_

_“No… he just cares too much,”_

_-_

_-_

It doesn’t draw blood. He’s positive that it’s not blunt; he sharpens it every morning, if one just as brushes their finger on one of his swords they’ll have a steady flow of crimson flowing down their hands. He presses it harder on her neck, glaring at her, his teeth gritting.

“ _Who are you?”_

She stares at him, surprise apparent by the lift of her eyebrows before she carefully raises her middle and index finger to the tip of his sword and flicks it away. Another one flashes as quick as lightning before she catches it by her other hand and says, “Wait,” he tries to slash her again and she sidesteps, “I was just-,” he slashes again, “I never thought you’d look like this,”

“ _What-“_ whenever he tries to hit her or stab her she dodges or gently pushes his sword away- _It’s frustrating,_

“I never-“and he catches her grin a little at the corner of her lips, “I never thought you’d be so _short,”_

“Answer my _question,”_ he snarls at her, before he jumps and tries to kick her on the head. She ducks, turns around and quickly grabs him by his collar. “Get _off,”_ it’s a while before he stops shouting and struggling but by then he starts to notice that the high ceiling weren’t quite so high anymore. He dangles there, fuming silently by her grip and grunts out, “You’re like that _alien,”_

“Dawn Kent,” she says quietly, and she floats down, letting go of the boy. She nods at him, “And you are,” he scowls at her and her voice softens, “Damian Wayne.”

She knows Bruce is heading up from the batcave after a couple of minutes spying on his heartbeat, Damian though, snaps his head back at him as he strides to them, still in his batsuit but without his cowl.

“Father!”

He gives Damian a stern look before ruffling his hair lightly, “She’s with us,” he says softly. He turns to Dawn, face suspicious, “Though the reason _why_ she’s here is still undisclosed.”

She catches the key he throws at her deftly with her right hand, blinking as she stares at the rusted key in her hand, “I was a test tube baby.” She says slowly, giving out a small smile when she sees Bruce’s confusion, “I am not really accustomed to this century, touchscreens and smartphones are a little outdated.” And she’d be like a lost outsider out of her time if she were to stay outside. She jingles the rings of keys at him, raising her eyebrow questioningly.

“The room and its drawers inside, Alfred will clean it up for you.”

With that he walks away as quickly as he came to them, Damian scowling at his back as he vanishes off to his batcave.

She is still examining the keys, wondering about the reason it has bat symbols on it and imagining Alfred scratching it on in his free time when she feels a light weight at her feet. She looks down and stifles another grin as she sees Damian desperately throwing punches at her to no effect, he steps on her foot and grunts angrily when she murmurs, “ _That tickles,”_ at him.

When he finally got tired trying to attack her legs she places a hand on his shoulder softly, “Dami- I mean, Mr.Wayne.” she gets a surprised look from that, “Why do you want me out?”

He doesn’t pause at all,

“Because you don’t _belong_ here,”

She doesn’t argue at him about that. She knows him, lived and fought with him. He takes no liking to newcomers, so she offers him another incentive. She squats down and looks at him, eye to eye,

“Well then, how about a duel?”

-

-

_First rule was this: there had to be absolutely no use of powers. None. Dawn has to be on the ground; she can’t hit too hard, punch too forcefully or move too quickly. And yes, no laser eyes._

_“What? Then what am I supposed to do?”_

_Damian frowns, smacking her forehead a little more forcefully than usual while he shakes his head at her, “-TT- Too impatient. Listen to me first, child.” She pouts back at him, rubbing her head slowly._

_She only bothered to wear a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. Damian though, tall and foreboding as he is right now, is armed with a thin layered black armour. Behind him, she sees weapons strewn about the sleek dark metal flooring of the underground training room. It’s enough to equip ten men at best._

_“You’re not as strong as Superman, Dawn, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be hard for you to just send me flying,” he holds up two fingers up at her face, staring down at her firmly, “Second rule, you get out of the circle, you lost the duel.” With that he backs away from her, turns around and snaps his fingers in the air, the floor lighting up a ten meter radius from where Dawn was standing._

_She chews on her bottom lip, “How about you?”_

_His eyebrows lifts, “Me?”_

_“Do the rules apply to you too?”_

_He tsk again, frowning as he walks to the array of gadgets and weapons outside of the circle,_

_“Of course not!”_

_“Wha-“_

_“That wouldn’t be fair at all,”_

_“But-“_

_“I lose if you,” he digs through the pile of creaking metal and beeping little machines, and he straightens up, turning to her with a small grin, “Stick me with this.” in his hands she sees a small sticker, barely bigger than her thumb. It’s black but glittery and (she tries not to laugh,) shaped as a bat._

_Easy._

_“You’d think right?” Damian snickers, and now she feels doubt sneaking up as his face turns just a little shade of evil. He dusts down his hands on his lap and looks down at her, “Rule Three, I can use any weapons I want, at any time and at anywhere. I can use underhanded tricks, I can push all your buttons for spite, but,” he continues with an annoyed sigh, “I cannot use Kryptonite.”_

_“Father told you that?”_

_“Irrelevant.” He mutters quietly._

_She holds up both her hands and looks up to him, ‘I’m ready,’ written all over her face. Damian looks at her back, eyes steady. “Now remember Dawn, this isn’t about strength, it’s about_ control _, and you have to understand that Superman had casualties too.” And of course she knows, not a day goes by without her remembering the haunted look in Clarks eyes every time ground zero was mentioned._

_“One step out of line and all bets are off- I’m pulling you out.”_

_“I understand.”_

_He straps on a harness, placing all the ammos and gadgets he could get his hands on briskly, finally, he holds two of his swords and steps on the circle gracefully staring down at Dawn,_

_“Shall we begin?”_

_-_

_-_

Dawn smiles triumphantly as she manages to _just_ poke the back of Dami’s back with the sticker, he howls in defeat and glares up at her scrambling to take it off his back.

“Gotcha.”

“ _-TT-“_

He whirls around at her, indignant anger mixed with confusion masking his face. He grits his teeth but asks her quietly, clenching his hands to fists,

“You said we have sparred before, in the future.”

She nods slowly, brushing off the remains of a smoke bomb from her shoulders, “Quite often,”

“Have you always won?”

This makes her pause, makes her stare down at him and ruffles his hair lightly before she gets swiped off by him with a scowl. She laughs and says, “This was a first actually.” She frowns as she remembers the constant _tsk_ she gets from her older brother, “You had a _lot_ of tricks up your sleeves.”

He’s silent for a while, until Dawn wonders if she shouldn’t have tried at all. Then Damian looks up at her and his face is passive but she’s an expert in this so she also sees the silent acceptance measured in the lines and the curves of his mouth,

“We will get ice-cream.”

Damian Wayne doesn’t do questions, he prefers commands. Dawn is used to it, so she shrugs and says, “Alright.”

He stalks off to get Ace, leaving Dawn to stare around the (for her,) small batcave.

She’s not surprised to see Bruce lurking behind the blinking monitors and dark shadows, she only nods at him quietly while he sips on his coffee, lounging on his chair. He places the mug down carefully, looks up at her again, “You spend a lot of time here?”

“Yes,” she scratches the back of her neck, and tries to pry a little, “You and Superman are very close,” ‘ _Not close enough’_ but that’s only her, she digs a bit more, “He talks about you a lot.”

‘ _Come on come on-‘_

 _“_ Oh really.”

Dawn does her very utmost will _not_ to cover her face with all the awkward tension and tries to think of anything that could get him to open up-

“Clarks partner,”

Bruce gets there first though,

“It’s a man isn’t it?”

 _Fuck-_ but if she lies now he wouldn’t believe her and really, it wouldn’t change anything. She nods mutely, curious to see what his reaction would be.

And she feels alarmed because Bruce didn’t just backs away, he _shuts down,_ face blank and thin lip, he is withdrawing, now more than ever and she hurries to add a bit more to not make him give up,

“They’re happy.” Too cliché, “He only ever opens up to him,” is _any_ of this even working?

Bruce scoffs, but Dawn is relieved to see the slight smile painted at his face, “Clark opens up to anyone Kent,”

And she shakes her head at that, “I didn’t mean Clark…” she says quietly.

She hears him sigh, his chair creaking as he stands up and waves his hand at her, “Damian likes chocolate mint, make sure you don’t order anything else, “ _the selfish brat,_ Dawn already knows this, it’s her favourite too,

“Talk to Alfred if you need anything, but,” he spies at her from above the stairwell where he was walking up to, “You’d already know that right?”

The heavy metal door slides shut before she could even reply.

-

-

_Dawn is a toddler when they found out that she hates staying outside. She loves to read, curled up between the section of dusty shelves and warm carpets. Clark worries for her, them needing the sun for energy and all._

_So every weekend they drag her up to the sunny hills in Switzerland, offering a trip to anyone willing to lay low for a while, and also extra hands to take care of Dawn of course. Surprisingly, Jason had always been her playmate, more often than not, next comes Conner, with Aunt Lois by his side._

_They’d laze around all day, chasing sheep or just breaking down some cliffs, (that came to an abrupt halt when Conner gets too big-headed and convinced that he could turn the cliff upside down just to impress Tim,), but it was nice._

_One moment that came to her mind however, was the time they played hide and seek and she stumbles upon her two fathers, hidden away by trees and covered from sunlight. She remembers the adoration in their eyes as they looked at each other, the way their lips brush before becoming more insistent._

_She sneezes when they start to pull their clothes off, and it was a_ very _close thing. They smile at her though, as she waddles to them and floats up shakily, placing her little hands on both of their cheeks,_

 _“_ Found you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Next chap we'll have the queens of Gotham meeting up... stay tuned~  
> ask me absolutely anything! ur opinions about the new movie? if im getting their char a little wonky? would also love some headcanons about Dawn, maybe i would just include them, ;3  
> till then,  
> (Still havent passed my driving test :p)  
> \- Renai


End file.
